General Requirements for Advanced Degrees
Master's Degree
Preparing and Submitting Theses
Composition Guidelines
Theses must be typed with the body of the text double-spaced. Theses must be written in English unless you and your department/committee have decided otherwise.
For theses that will be bound in paper form, margins must be at least one-and-a-half inches on the left and one inch on the top, right, and bottom. Students who submit their publications in electronic form only may choose to have one-inch margins on all sides.
Page numbers must be consecutive throughout, with Arabic numerals used for the body of the work and small or lowercase Roman numerals for the front matter. Script fonts (ex. Monotype Corsica) and italicizing large sections of text are not allowed for the main body of your text, although italics may be used appropriately.
The paper used for any bound copies must be watermarked, 100-percent cotton bond paper of 20 or 24 lbs., measuring 8 1/2 by 11 inches. If photographs or detailed graphics are part of the work, make certain they are crisp and clear when printed. It is acceptable to use special laser or photo paper for the pages(s) in the dissertation containing images in order to achieve the best possible quality.
Thesis Approval and Submission
The student must file the original thesis and one copy (both bound) with the University Graduate School. These copies will later be placed in the University Library. At least one additional bound copy must be filed with the major department. The title page must bear the statement: “Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of ______ in the Department of ______________ , Indiana University.”
At least three members of the faculty shall normally participate in the approval of the thesis and must sign an acceptance page which appears after the title page. The statement, “Accepted by the faculty of the University Graduate School, Indiana University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of ___________ ,” should precede the signatures on the acceptance page. Each copy of the thesis is to be accompanied by the student’s vita sheet inserted at the end. For details regarding the typing and duplication of theses, see Preparation of Theses and Dissertations.
For more information, see Theses and Dissertations on the University Graduate School website.